145 research outputs found
Low-lying level structure of Cu and its implications on the rp process
The low-lying energy levels of proton-rich Cu have been extracted
using in-beam -ray spectroscopy with the state-of-the-art -ray
tracking array GRETINA in conjunction with the S800 spectrograph at the
National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory at Michigan State University.
Excited states in Cu serve as resonances in the
Ni(p,)Cu reaction, which is a part of the rp-process in
type I x-ray bursts. To resolve existing ambiguities in the reaction Q-value, a
more localized IMME mass fit is used resulting in ~keV. We derive
the first experimentally-constrained thermonuclear reaction rate for
Ni(p,)Cu. We find that, with this new rate, the
rp-process may bypass the Ni waiting point via the Ni(p,)
reaction for typical x-ray burst conditions with a branching of up to
40. We also identify additional nuclear physics uncertainties that
need to be addressed before drawing final conclusions about the rp-process
reaction flow in the Ni region.Comment: 8 pages, accepted for Phys. Rev.
The Greenland Telescope: Antenna Retrofit Status and Future Plans
Since the ALMA North America Prototype Antenna was awarded to the Smithsonian
Astrophysical Observatory (SAO), SAO and the Academia Sinica Institute of
Astronomy & Astrophysics (ASIAA) are working jointly to relocate the antenna to
Greenland. This paper shows the status of the antenna retrofit and the work
carried out after the recommissioning and subsequent disassembly of the antenna
at the VLA has taken place. The next coming months will see the start of the
antenna reassembly at Thule Air Base. These activities are expected to last
until the fall of 2017 when commissioning should take place. In parallel,
design, fabrication and testing of the last components are taking place in
Taiwan
CAVASS: A Computer-Assisted Visualization and Analysis Software System
The Medical Image Processing Group at the University of Pennsylvania has been developing (and distributing with source code) medical image analysis and visualization software systems for a long period of time. Our most recent system, 3DVIEWNIX, was first released in 1993. Since that time, a number of significant advancements have taken place with regard to computer platforms and operating systems, networking capability, the rise of parallel processing standards, and the development of open-source toolkits. The development of CAVASS by our group is the next generation of 3DVIEWNIX. CAVASS will be freely available and open source, and it is integrated with toolkits such as Insight Toolkit and Visualization Toolkit. CAVASS runs on Windows, Unix, Linux, and Mac but shares a single code base. Rather than requiring expensive multiprocessor systems, it seamlessly provides for parallel processing via inexpensive clusters of work stations for more time-consuming algorithms. Most importantly, CAVASS is directed at the visualization, processing, and analysis of 3-dimensional and higher-dimensional medical imagery, so support for digital imaging and communication in medicine data and the efficient implementation of algorithms is given paramount importance
The Greenland Telescope: Construction, Commissioning, and Operations in Pituffik
In 2018, the Greenland Telescope (GLT) started scientific observation in
Greenland. Since then, we have completed several significant improvements and
added new capabilities to the telescope system. This paper presents a full
review of the GLT system, a summary of our observation activities since 2018,
the lessons learned from the operations in the Arctic regions, and the prospect
of the telescope.Comment: 26 pages, 11 figures, and 8 tables. This is the version of the
article before publication editing, as submitted by an author to Publications
of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. IOP Publishing Ltd is not
responsible for any errors or omissions in this version of the manuscript or
any version derived from it. The Version of Record will be added when it
becomes availabl
Design and methods for a randomized clinical trial comparing three outreach efforts to improve screening mammography adherence
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Despite the demonstrated need to increase screening mammography utilization and strong evidence that mail and telephone outreach to women can increase screening, most managed care organizations have not adopted comprehensive outreach programs. The uncertainty about optimum strategies and cost effectiveness have retarded widespread acceptance. While 70% of women report getting a mammogram within the prior 2 years, repeat mammography rates are less than 50%. This 5-year study is conducted though a Central Massachusetts healthcare plan and affiliated clinic. All womenhave adequate health insurance to cover the test.</p> <p>Methods/Design</p> <p>This randomized study compares 3 arms: reminder letter alone; reminder letter plus reminder call; reminder letter plus a second reminder and booklet plus a counselor call. All calls provide women with the opportunity to schedule a mammogram in a reasonable time. The invention period will span 4 years and include repeat attempts. The counselor arm is designed to educate, motivate and counsel women in an effort to alleviate PCP burden.</p> <p>All women who have been in the healthcare plan for 24 months and who have a current primary care provider (PCP) and who are aged 51-84 are randomized to 1 of 3 arms. Interventions are limited to women who become ≥18 months from a prior mammogram. Women and their physicians may opt out of the intervention study.</p> <p>Measurement of completed mammograms will use plan billing records and clinic electronic records. The primary outcome is the proportion of women continuously enrolled for ≥24 months who have had ≥1 mammogram in the last 24 months. Secondary outcomes include the number of women who need repeat interventions. The cost effectiveness analysis will measure all costs from the provider perspective.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>So far, 18,509 women aged 51-84 have been enrolled into our tracking database and were randomized into one of three arms. At baseline, 5,223 women were eligible for an intervention. We anticipate that the outcome will provide firm data about the maximal effectiveness as well as the cost effectiveness of the interventions both for increasing the mammography rate and the repeat mammography rate.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p><url>http://clinicaltrials.gov/</url><a href="http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01332032">NCT01332032</a></p
Epidemiologic heterogeneity of common mood and anxiety disorders over the lifecourse in the general population: a systematic review
Background Clinical evidence has long suggested there may be heterogeneity in the patterns and predictors of common mood and anxiety disorders; however, epidemiologic studies have generally treated these outcomes as homogenous entities. The objective of this study was to systematically review the epidemiologic evidence for potential patterns of heterogeneity of common mood and anxiety disorders over the lifecourse in the general population. Methods We reviewed epidemiologic studies examining heterogeneity in either the nature of symptoms experienced ( symptom syndromes ) or in patterns of symptoms over time ( symptom trajectories ). To be included, studies of syndromes were required to identify distinct symptom subtypes, and studies of trajectories were required to identify distinct longitudinal patterns of symptoms in at least three waves of follow-up. Studies based on clinical or patient populations were excluded. Results While research in this field is in its infancy, we found growing evidence that, not only can mood and anxiety disorders be differentiated by symptom syndromes and trajectories, but that the factors associated with these disorders may vary between these subtypes. Whether this reflects a causal pathway, where genetic or environmental factors influence the nature of the symptom or trajectory subtype experienced by an individual, or whether individuals with different subtypes differed in their susceptibility to different environmental factors, could not be determined. Few studies addressed issues of comorbidity or transitions in symptoms between common disorders. Conclusion Understanding the diversity of these conditions may help us identify preventable factors that are only associated with some subtypes of these common disorders
A ring-like accretion structure in M87 connecting its black hole and jet
The nearby radio galaxy M87 is a prime target for studying black hole
accretion and jet formation^{1,2}. Event Horizon Telescope observations of M87
in 2017, at a wavelength of 1.3 mm, revealed a ring-like structure, which was
interpreted as gravitationally lensed emission around a central black hole^3.
Here we report images of M87 obtained in 2018, at a wavelength of 3.5 mm,
showing that the compact radio core is spatially resolved. High-resolution
imaging shows a ring-like structure of 8.4_{-1.1}^{+0.5} Schwarzschild radii in
diameter, approximately 50% larger than that seen at 1.3 mm. The outer edge at
3.5 mm is also larger than that at 1.3 mm. This larger and thicker ring
indicates a substantial contribution from the accretion flow with absorption
effects in addition to the gravitationally lensed ring-like emission. The
images show that the edge-brightened jet connects to the accretion flow of the
black hole. Close to the black hole, the emission profile of the jet-launching
region is wider than the expected profile of a black-hole-driven jet,
suggesting the possible presence of a wind associated with the accretion flow.Comment: 50 pages, 18 figures, 3 tables, author's version of the paper
published in Natur
A ring-like accretion structure in M87 connecting its black hole and jet
The nearby radio galaxy M87 is a prime target for studying black hole accretion and jet formation1,2. Event Horizon Telescope observations of M87 in 2017, at a wavelength of 1.3 mm, revealed a ring-like structure, which was interpreted as gravitationally lensed emission around a central black hole3. Here we report images of M87 obtained in 2018, at a wavelength of 3.5 mm, showing that the compact radio core is spatially resolved. High-resolution imaging shows a ring-like structure of [Formula: see text] Schwarzschild radii in diameter, approximately 50% larger than that seen at 1.3 mm. The outer edge at 3.5 mm is also larger than that at 1.3 mm. This larger and thicker ring indicates a substantial contribution from the accretion flow with absorption effects, in addition\ua0to the gravitationally lensed ring-like emission. The images show that the edge-brightened jet connects to the accretion flow of the black hole. Close to the black hole, the emission profile of the jet-launching region is wider than the expected profile of a black-hole-driven jet, suggesting the possible presence of a wind associated with the accretion flow
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